Master the art of Korean side dishes! Korean bean sprouts side dish is a staple at every Korean table. This recipe teaches you the secret to perfectly blanched, crunchy sprouts with a spicy kick. Whether you're serving it with Galbi, Bulgogi, or just a simple bowl of rice, this is a must-try recipe!
One of my favorite recipes is this Korean Spicy Bean Sprout Side Dish recipe! I love serving this dish whenever I sit down to some galbi or bulgogi.
Like napa cabbage kimchi, Korean spicy bean sprouts can be considered banchan, which are an essential part of any Korean meal. I almost LOVE the banchan (Korean side dishes) more than I adore the main meal itself!
Here I am delighted to share with you a recipe for a delicious Korean spicy bean sprout salad, as good as you'll enjoy at your favorite Korean restaurants!
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🥘 Ingredients
You must know how easy and simple and quick this is to make. Few ingredients = quick prep = delish = scrumptious Korean banchan!!!
The Korean Bean Sprout side dish, or sukju namul (for mung bean sprouts), can be spicy or not spicy. Here we concentrate on the amazing delicious spicy version!
So here are the ingredients you will need to make this wonderful Korean food:
- Bean sprouts - you can use either mung bean sprouts or Korean soybean sprouts (the dish will be called kongnamul muchim if you use soybean sprouts)
- Fresh garlic
- Sesame seeds - adds a wonderful nutty flavor
- Sesame oil - more nutty flavor!
- Fish sauce - for scrumptious umami flavor!
- Green onions
- Salt
- Korean red pepper flakes (Korean chili flakes or hot pepper powder)
You should be able to find these ingredients at Korean grocery stores or your local grocery store. I've also provided some links to Amazon if you would like to order from there.
🔪 Instructions
Begin by boiling water in a large pot. Add 1 ts salt, and then add your rinsed and picked over bean sprouts. Ensure the water covers the bean sprouts. Blanch for 2 minutes, and then drain and rinse with cold running water.
Meanwhile combine the minced garlic, red pepper flakes, sesame oil, sesame seeds, and fish sauce in a large mixing bowl.
After rinsing the sprouts in cold water, add to the bowl which contains the above combined ingredients. Mix gently, and then add the green onions and mix again.
And then voila! You have your delicious Korean Spicy Bean Sprout banchan!
🎥 Video
Suggestions For Serving
These bean sprouts are best served cold. So store them in your fridge for a couple of hours in an airtight container prior to serving.
This delicious side dish is superb served with a bowl of rice! It also makes the perfect accompaniment to any Korean main dish such as beef bulgogi and Korean galbi, or as a side anytime you'd like something spicy.
I hope this easy Korean bean sprouts recipe will become one of your favorites!
FAQ
Mungbean sprouts germinate from mung beans, and soy bean sprouts are grown by sprouting soy beans. Mungbean sprouts have small yellow leaves at one end, and soy bean sprouts have yellow round heads at the end.
Store leftover bean sprouts in an airtight container in your refrigerator, and consume within 2-3 days.
Other Korean Banchan Recipes
Here are some other easy Korean banchan recipes which you may like to try:
- Quick and Easy Cucumber Kimchi
- Bok Choy Kimchi
- Korean Perilla Leaves
- Zucchini Side Dish
- Wild Green Onion Kimchi (Pa Kimchi
Once you try making a couple of these you'll realize just how easy to make and delicious they are!
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Cheers!
Grace
Korean Spicy Bean Sprouts
Equipment
- large pot for blanching the sprouts
- mixing bowl for combining the ingredients
Ingredients
- 1 ts salt
- 1 lb bean sprouts rinsed and any black parts and long stems discarded
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 2 tablespoon Korean red pepper chili flakes (red pepper powder)
- 2 teaspoon sesame oil
- 2 teaspoon sesame seeds toasted
- 2 green onions sliced thinly
- 4 teaspoon fish sauce
Instructions
- Boil water in a large saucepan. Add 1 ts salt, and then add your rinsed and picked over bean sprouts. Ensure the water covers the bean sprouts. Blanch for 2 minutes, and then drain and rinse with cold water.
- Meanwhile combine the minced garlic, red pepper flakes, sesame oil, sesame seeds, and fish sauce in a large mixing bowl.
- After rinsing the sprouts in cold water, add to the bowl which contains the above combined ingredients. Mix gently, and then add the green onions and mix again.
Eileen Tse
Simple and straightforward recipe with nice aromatics and subtle taste! Really enjoyed it 🙂
Grace
Hi Eileen! Thanks so much for your comments and for trying this out! I'm so glad you enjoyed it! Take good care!! Grace 🙂
Kimberly Golightly
Hi. Great recipe. Was wondering how to store this and how long it can be stored. Thanks!!
Grace
Hi Kimberly! Thanks so much for trying the recipe and taking the time to comment! This is best stored in an airtight container in your fridge and best eaten within a couple of days...maybe 3 days at the longest. If you have any other questions please let me know. I'm so happy that you enjoyed it! All the best to you and your family! Grace
Tori
These were delicious and scratched the itch for Korean side dishes during a time when going out isn't favorable. Thank you! 🙂
Grace
Hi Tori! You made my day! I'm so happy that you enjoyed these Korean bean sprouts! Thanks for trying the recipe and for commenting here. I do hope that you stay safe and warm where you are and take good care!! 🙂 Thank you again!!! Grace
June Barrera
What a quick way to stir up a side dish with your favorite Korean dish! My husband kept saying over and over that this was really good. I again lessened the amount of spice for my husband but still turned out great for my mom who is Korean to taste it was really impressed. She said the bean sprouts were cooked perfectly in the water, so thanks Grace for sharing the right amount of time to cook it because I had no idea!
By the way, we looked this up and it’s also keto friendly so my husband said we need to eat this more often ! He also says it’s good for inflammation snd prevents cancer so we will be making this more often! Thanks Grace for sharing your recipe!
Grace
Thanks so much for trying out this recipe! Glad that it fits in with your keto diet so that you can enjoy it. Sounds like I need to make it more often for my family as it's so healthy. :-). I'm so happy that your family liked it thank you again for taking the time to comment and rate this recipe! Grace
April Lewis
This dish brings back memories when my mom used to make it! I had made this dish with the spicy chicken bulgogi dish and was perfect together! I will be making this over and over to compliment the Korean dishes I make. So tasty, easy and inexpensive side dish to make! I gave some to my friend and she said it tasted so good with her rice! 🤣 thank you Grace for sharing this recipe! 🤗
Grace
Hi April! Thank you for trying out the bean sprouts and it means a lot that it brought back memories of when mom used to make it. I'm so happy that your friend liked it too! Here's to more Spicy Bean Sprouts in our future! Grace
Dani
Delicious! Made with 1tbsp Korean pepper powder and 1 tbsp gochujang sauce. Perfect side with rice and nori.
Grace
Hi Dani! I'm so very delighted that you liked the Spicy Bean Sprouts! Thanks for trying this out and for taking the time to comment! Hope you have the BEST New Year! Cheers! Grace
Angela Griffin
We have Korean themed supper club and j want to make these. Can I store in the fridge in advance of the dinner? Serve cold or room temp?
Grace
Hi Angela, thanks so much for your question and your Korean supper club sounds like so so much fun! Absolutely yes you can store these in your fridge in advance of the dinner. They are also best served cold, and I will note that in my post to help others I appreciate you pointing out that that information was not noted in the post. I hope you will enjoy these and have a wonderful time at your dinner! All the best, Grace
Grace
One of my absolute favorite Korean side dishes! Super easy to make and awesomely delicious!